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1 John
1:1-4
(The
Incarnate Word)
(From The Orthodox Study Bible):
1 That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the
Word of life— (1)
2 the
life was manifested (2), and we have seen, and bear witness, and
declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested
to us—
3 that
which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have
fellowship(3) with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father
and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 And
these things we write to you that your joy may be full. (4)
***Verse-by-Verse
Study Notes Provided in This Bible***
(1) Verse 1: We mean the Apostles.
Their testimony is true, not that of false apostles. While John makes a
distinction between divine revelation (which was from the beginning, the
Word of life) and human sensory perception (heard, seen, looked upon,
handled), he has no problem connecting them. Note John’s clarity of
teaching on Christ’s two natures: divine (from the beginning, the Word of
life) and human (heard, seen, handled) (see Luke 24:39; John 1:14,
20:27-28).
“When [John] says, ‘which was from the beginning,’ he touches
upon the generation without beginning of the Son, who is coexistent with the
Father. ‘Was,’ therefore indicates eternity without beginning, just as the Word
Himself, the Son, being one with the Father in regard to equality of substance,
is eternal and uncreated. That the Word always existed is signified by the
words: ‘In the beginning was the Word [John 1:1]’ “ (Written by Early Christian
Church Father Clement of Alexandria).
(2) Verse 2: The divinity of Jesus was
manifested in His life, especially His teaching and His miracles
(see John 2:11).
(3) Verse 3: Koinonia (Greek
word) is far more than fellowship. It is our personal participation with
other believers in the life of Christ. Fellowship with us refers to
communion—especially eucharistic communion—within the apostolic Church. It is
inconceivable to John that the Church not be one and united (see John 17:11,
20, 21) or that fellowship not be founded on doctrine (the theological
implication of with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ) and on
sacrament (the liturgical implication of koinonia).
(4) See John 15:11; 16:24; 17:13; Philippians 2:2.
(From The New Analytical King James Study Bible):
1 That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our
eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word(1)
of life(2);
2 (For the life(2)
was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that
eternal life(2), which was with the Father, and was manifested unto
us;)
3 That which we have seen and
heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly
our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And these things write we
unto you, that your [our] joy may be full.
***Footnotes***
(1) - In this sentence, the term “Word” comes from the
ancient Greek word “logos” (Strong’s G3056). Its original ancient
script, spelling, pronunciation, and definitions include: λόγος lógos, log'-os;
from G3004; something said (including the thought); by
implication, a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental
faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specially, (with the article in John) the Divine
Expression (i.e. Christ):—account, cause, communication, × concerning, doctrine, fame, × have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question,
reason, + reckon, remove, say(-ing), shew, × speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise,
utterance, word, work.
(2) - In this sentence, the term “life” comes from the original
ancient Greek word “zoe” (Sharp’s word #G2222). Its original
ancient script, spelling, pronunciation, and definitions include: ζωή zōḗ, dzo-ay';
from G2198; life (literally or figuratively):—life(-time). Compare G5590
(From The Amplified Holy Bible):
1 [I am writing about] what
existed from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our
eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of
Life [the One who existed even before the beginning of the world, Christ] – (1)
2 and the Life [an aspect of
His being] was manifested, and we have seen [it as eyewitnesses] and testify
and declare to you [the Life], the eternal Life who was [already existing] with
the Father and was [actually] made visible to us [His followers] –
3 what we have seen and heard
we also proclaim to you, so that you too may have fellowship [as partners] with
us. And indeed our fellowship [which is a distinguishing mark of born-again
believers] is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ.
4 We are writing these things
to you so that our joy [in seeing you included] may be made complete [by having
you share in the joy of salvation].
***Study
Note Provided in This Bible***
(1) Verse 1: John the Apostle wrote
the Gospel of John, this letter along with two others, and the book of
Revelation. He and his brother James (also an apostle) were the sons of Zebedee
and Salome.
(From The Complete Jewish Study Bible):
1 The Word, which gives life!
He existed from the beginning.
We have heard him,
we have seen him with our
eyes,
we have contemplated him,
we have touched him with our
hands!
2 The life appeared,
and we have seen it.
We are testifying to it
and announcing it to you –
eternal life!
He was with the Father,
and he appeared to us.
3 What we have seen and heard,
we are proclaiming to you;
so that you too
may have fellowship with us.
Our fellowship is with the Father
and with his Son, Yeshua(1)
the Messiah.
4 We are writing these things
so that our joy may be
complete.
***Footnotes***
(1) In the Jewish language, “Yeshua” is the name used for
“Jesus.”
(From The New American Standard Bible):
1 What was from the beginning,
what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and
touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life –
2 and the life was manifested,
and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was
with the Father and was manifested to us –
3 what we have seen and heard
we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and
indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and His Son Jesus Christ.
4 These things we write, so
that our joy may be made complete.
(From The Knox Bible – The Latin Vulgate):
1 Our message concerns that
Word (1), who is life; what he was from the first, what we have
heard about him, what our own eyes have seen of him; what it was that met our
gaze, and the touch of our hands.
2 Yes, life dawned; and it is
as eye-witnesses that we give you news of that life, that eternal life, which
ever abode with the Father and has dawned, now, on us.
3 This message about what we
have seen and heard we pass on to you, so that you too may share in our
fellowship. What is it, this fellowship of ours? Fellowship with the Father,
and with his Son Jesus Christ.
4 And if we are writing to you
now, it is so that joy may be yours in full measure.
***Study
Note Provided in This Bible***
(1) That ‘the Word’ here is used in a personal sense would
seem clear from a comparison of this passage with St. John’s Gospel, 1:1-4.